How to Plant Your Own Lawn

by Daniel Thompson

Multiple applications of grass seed ensures even coverage of the lawn.

Using the right techniques and tools to plant your lawn will give you a full, healthy lawn with no bare spots. Properly preparing the soil in your lawn before planting ensures that your grass seeds can readily form a strong root system. Choosing the right time of year to seed your lawn is also an important factor in the success of a newly planted lawn. The best time to seed your lawn depends on the type of grass you are using.

1

Remove any rocks or debris from the surface of the soil in the area you are going to plant. Use your dirt rake to loosen the surface of the soil and smooth it over, removing any small depressions that could impede drainage. Break up any dirt clods on the surface using the tines of your rake.

2

Measure the area you are going to seed using your measuring tape. Measure out the amount of grass seed you will need to cover your working area based on the pounds per square foot listed on the bag. Divide the grass seed into two equal piles.

3

Load half of the seed into your broadcast spreader and move to one corner of your working area. Pick one side of the planting area and walk parallel to it, dispensing seed over the ground as you move. Once you reach the end of the first row begin walking back towards where you started on a second row parallel and adjacent to the first.

4

Spread the first half of the seed evenly over the entire surface of the planting area in a series of parallel rows. Repeat the spreading process with the second half of the grass seed. Spread the second half of your seed in parallel rows while walking at a right angle to your first set of rows.

5

Lightly rake the seed into the soil using your dirt rake. Rake the seed into the surface of the soil to a depth of roughly 1/8 inch. If you are planting a warm-season grass during the summer, spread mulch over the planting area. Make sure that the mulch you spread is no more than 1/4 inch thick.

6

Water the planting area often enough to prevent the soil from drying out until the seeds begin to germinate. In most cases your grass seeds should begin to germinate within two weeks.

Things You Will Need

Grass seed

Broadcast spreader

Dirt rake

Measuring tape

Mulch

Tip

Plant cool-season grasses during the early fall or spring so they can establish before they enter their most active growing period. Warm-season grasses grow actively during the summer and are best planted in late spring or early summer. In areas where the average temperature remains above 50 degrees Fahrenheit all year round, warm-season grasses remain green. Since warm-season grasses can die if they are exposed to freezing temperatures, you may want to use a cool-season grass if you regularly experience freezing temperatures in the winter.

About the Author

Daniel Thompson began writing about analytical literature in 2004. He has written informative guides for a hardware store and was published at an academic conference as part of a collaborative project. He attained a Bachelors of Fine Arts in English literature from Eastern Kentucky University.

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